Pre-Report Guidelines for Anwering Questions[1]

Establishing the Goals and Learning Context

1.   What is the scientific principle (theory or concept) that you are supposed to be learning about by doing the lab?

State in a few words or sentence what the lab is about, that is, what scientific concept or procedure you are
supposed to be learning about by doing the lab.

 

2.   What do you know about this principle?

Use your lab manual, class notes, textbook, and handouts to write down what you have learned.

 

3.   What are the lab objectives?

Refer to the lab introduction for the list of objectives. The objectives are the concrete acts you are supposed
to perform in the lab, such as to measure something, to analyze something, to test something, etc.

 

4.   What is the purpose of the lab?

How are the actions you are performing in the lab (stated in the objectives) related to what you are learning
(the scientific principle)? How will achieving the objectives enhance your knowledge of the scientific concept
or procedure that the lab is about?

 

Making your Prediction

1.   How did you answer the method questions given with the problem you were assigned? (List them below along with your responses.)

The method questions should be answered and written in your journal before you complete the lab.
Answering these questions will help you analyze your data.

 

2.   What is your prediction or hypothesis?

A hypothesis typically provides the key point of comparison for experimental data, leading to two crucial
questions that must be addressed in the lab report: (1) Did you find what you expected to find? (2) Why or why not?

 

3.   How did you arrive at your prediction?

Describe the logic that you used to reason from what you know about the scientific prinicples to your
prediction or educated guess of the outcomes of the experimental procedure.

 

Exploring your Experimental Plan

1.   How will you test your prediction?

Briefly describe the equipment and procedures.

 

2.   What is your measurement plan?

How will you make your measurements? How many will you need to make to convince yourself and
others that you have solved the laboratory problem?

 

Processing your Data

1.   What did you derive from the data?

 

2.   Were your predictions correct? If not, how did you modify your measurement plan?

 

3.   If you redid your measurements, what changes did you observe?

 

Conclusion

1.   Did your measurements and graphs agree with your answers to the

Method questions? If not, why?

State your result in the most general terms supported by your analysis. Be sure to compare

your result to your prediction.

 

2.   What are the limitations on the accuracy of your measurements and analysis?

 

3.   What changes will you make in futrue experiments to reflect what you have learned from the outcome of this experiment?

      What will you do for future measurments?